Latch



D. G. KOLAND Aug. 19, 1969 LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 72% w 1% v eK e w/Gw, f Ifl. w 2.14% 4 j W L 23m ll 1 United States Patent O "i U.S. Cl. 74-532 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A releasable latch having a pair of latch members one of which is carried by a movable lever normally urged in one direction and with the other urged toward en'gagement with the first member in which the first member is movable relative 'to the lever between positions where the first latch is in position to en'gage the second latch and a position where a cam rfonming a part of the first 'member holds the two latch :members out of position for this engagement together with a catch that engages the combined first latch an-d cam member for successively moving the first mem'ber `on successive movements of the lever, the successive movements of the first member being `froxrn one position where the catch members are positioned for engagement an'd another position where the cam member holds them out of enga-gement and then back to the first position.

The releasable latch of this invention provides for automatic moving of one combined latch member and ca'm between a position for enga'gement with a second latch member 'and a position where such engagement cannot be accomplished on successive .movements of `a lever on which the combined first latch and cam member is mou-nted. A latch of this type 'has been found particularrly applicable to any type of device where the latch members are relatively inaccessible but where the lever is readily accessible. A unit of this type is 'discliosed in my copending 'application Ser. No. 637,177, filed M'ay 9, 1967, and assigned to the same assi-gnee as the present application.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated i'n the accompany'ing drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view partially in section and shortened of a combined floor scrubber and polisher employing the releasable latch 'of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional V'iew taken substantially along line 2- 2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is ran enlar'ged fragmen'tary section'al view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURES 4-8 are fragmentary side elevational views of a portion of FIGURE 3 showing t'he parts in different successive positions.

The floor scrubber an'd lpolisher shown in FIGURE 1 which carries the releasable latch of this invention is shown and described in greater detail in 'my above co- 'pending application. Generally, however, -the device comprises a 'propelling handle '10 'for propelling the device over a floor, a container 11 for liquids such as 'detergent solution and polish solution to be dispensed onto the floor as d'esired 'b'y operation of a valve control button 12, a motor 13, driven rotatalble 'brush assernbly 14, a floor contacting squeegee 15 'for drawing water or cleaning solution from the floor after the Cleaning operation has been performed and a releasable latch device 16 for either holding the squeegee 15 in elevated position, which would be up from that shown in FIGURE 1, or to permit it to be returned to floor contacting position as shown in FIGURE 1. As shown most clearly in FIGURE 3, the latch device 16 comprises a lever 17 having a foot pedal 18 thereon with the lever being arcuately movable about the longitud'inal 'axis of a fulcru'm part 19 held 'against any movement except this 'arouate movement by a mounting 3,46l,74-l Patented Aug. 19, 1969 bracket 20 Operating as a bearing. The lever end 21 that carries the foot pedal 18 is con'stantly urged in an upward direction as indicated 'by the arrow 22 in FIGURE 3.

The lever end 21 carries With it a combined first latch and cam member 23 that includes a first latch 24 in the form of a .laterally projecting pin and opposite end cam surfaces 25. Located adjacent the first member 23 is a second latch member 26 that is a'dapte'd to be engaged by the latch pin when the first member 23 is in one position but not when it is in a second position.

The second latch member 26 is formed as a 'hook portion of a side fian'ge on a spring metal arm 27 whose springiness urges the second member 26 to the left as viewed in FIGURES 3-8 and thus toward engagement with -the first :member 23. The first member 23 during movement of the lever 116 about its fulcrum 'portion 19 slides on a flat surface 28 on 'the spring arm 27. When the first member 23 is in the position shown in FIG- URE 3, or turned 180 therefrom, the slide surfaces are the long sides '29 of the first `member 23. When the member 23 has been turned, however, either of the cam surfaces 2'5 will slide on 'the surface 28 as 'shown in FIG- URE 5. In this position the dimensions of the first member 23 are such that the first latch :member pin 24 is out -of position to be 'engaged by the second latch member 26 as shown in 'FIGURE 5.

In order to turn the first member 23 abo'ut its axis which coinc'ides with the axis of the latch pin 24 there is provided on the spring arm 27 beneath the second latch member 26 a catch member 30 in the form of a short tongue of metal of low height struck from spring arm 27. This catch member 30 is located a sufficient distance below the second latch member 26 that the end cam surfaces 25 will not enga'ge it 'until the latch pin is well below the second latch member 26.

When the latch 'pin 24 and latch member 26 are in engagement, as shown in |FIGURE 3, the squeegee 15 is retained in elevated position 'out of contact with the floor because the vertically mov'a'ble end 21 of the lever 17 is held' in its down position by latch 26 engaging pin 24. When it is desired to release the latch members 'from their FIG- U'RE 3 engagement thereby raising lever 17 end to the position shown in FIGURE 6 so that the squeegee is returned to its position shown in FIGURE 1, it is merely necessary -to `depress the foot pedal portion 18 of the lever 16 downwardly from the position shown in FIGURE 3. When this is done the lowermost cam surface 2'5 engages the catch ;member 30 as shown 'in FIGURE 4 and' momentarily holds it to turn the first member 23 to where this lower-most cam `surface 25 rides on the catch 30. The width of lthis adjacent surface 25 is so much greater than the height 'of icatch 30 that this adjacent surface 25 slides over the 'top of catch 30 to the position shown in 'FIGURE 5 upon graidual release of pressure on the -foot pedal 18. T'he resu-lt is that this one of the two `cam surfaces 25 bears against the flat surface 28 on the spring member 27 as shown in 'FIGURE 5. Then, when the foot pedal 18 is relea-sed further the 'lever 17 can move upwa'rdly as indicated at 22 under the urging means, as previously descri'bed, without the secon'd latch member 26 enga'ging the now out of position first latch member 24 which is in the position shown in FIGURE 5. Under the urging of the urging means 22 the lever 17 is moved to its :greatest elevated position as shown in FIGURE 6.

When it is desired to again hold the sq'ueegee 15 in elevated position the lever 17 is depressed by means of the foot pedal 18 from the position shown in FIGURE 6 to the position shown |in FIGURE 7. When t'his ocours a side surface 29 of the first member 23 engages the catch member 30, 'as shown 'in FIGURE 7, to turn the first member 23 again through until the corresponding side surface 29 again bears against the fiat surface 28 of the spring arm 27 and rides on the catch 30. Then, When the foot pedazl 18 is again released the upward urging of the lever 17 ciauses t'he side surface 29 to slide over the catch 30 and the latch member pin 24 to again engage the second latch member 26, as shown in FIGURE 3.

As can be seen fro'm the above description, the latch of this invention permits successively turning the first latch member 23 from one position where the latch pin is in position to be engaged by the second latch member 26 to another position where one or the other of the cam surfaces 25 bearing against arm 27 hold the latch members 23 and 26 apart as shown in FIGURE 5. Successive movements of the lever, therefore7 move the first member 23 in successive latoh and unlatch positions. Because this is done merely 'by movement of the lever 17 the two latch members rnay be, and in the illustrated embodiment are, completely hidden and inaecessible.

Having described my invention as related to the embodi-ment shown in the accoinpanying darwings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the accompanying clai'ms.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is clai'med is defined as follows:

1. A releasable latch, comprising: a movable lever normially urged in one direction; a combined first latch and cam member on said lever; means mounting said first member on said lever for movement with land relative to said lever; a second latch member; mounting means for urging said second llatch fmem'ber toward engagement with said first latch member, said first member when in one position on the lever locatng its latch in position to be engaged by said second latch member under the urgin-gs of said lever and said latter mounting means and when in another position holding said second latch member out of position to be engaged =by said first member; and a catch member on said latter 'mounting means 'located to be repeatedly engaged by said first member on successive movements of the lever past the second latch member 5 and thereby moving said first member successively from said one position to said other position and back to said one position.

2. The latch of claim 1 wherein said latter mountin-g means comprises a spring arm on which both said second latch member and said catch 'member are located.

3. The 'latch of claim 2 wherein said first member moves on said first mentioned mounting means 'during said movements of said lever.

4. The latch of claim 3 wherein said first member is provided with latter mounting means engaging surface means holding said first 'member against 'movement relative to said lever except during said engagement with said catch member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,618,936 2/1927 Lockwood 74- 532 1,710,570 4/1929 Collins.

1,966,724 7/1934 Kimbal'l 74--2 2,126,579 8/1938 Roethel 74- 532 2,485,015 10/1949 Radtke 74-535 2,586,356 2/1952 Lewis.

2,855,799 10/1958 Patterson 74 527 FRED C. MATTERN, JR., Primary Examiner C. F. GREEN, Assistant Examiner Us. cr. XR. 

